The American Legion recently issued a report titled "Policy on Illegal Immigration". The Legion is America's premier veterans organization with 2.7
million members, hence what it has to say is noteworthy, and should be taken
seriously by those interested in immigration policy. Even though its report
is strewn with anti-immigrationist propaganda, pro-immigration advocates
ignore this report at their own peril given the Legion's numerical might and
political potence.

A few examples of what is wrong with the report are in order. The very first
sentence of the report "The security [...] of the USA is seriously
threatened by individuals who have illegally entered this country" (Report
at p.2) buys into the canard that immigrants are terrorists and ignores the
fact that the 9/11 terrorists entered the US legally. The report ignores the
studies that have shown that immigrants commit proportionately less crime
than native-born Americans and says (without context) "more Americans are
killed by illegal aliens than die in the Iraq war" (Report at p.6). If such
context dropping were logical, it would equally be in order to say that
"more Americans are killed by native-born Americans than die in the Iraq
war". By the Legion's logic, native-born American criminals should be
deported. The Report's mean spiritedness in visiting the offenses of the
parents on innocent children is evidenced at page 9 where the Legion agrees
that in-state tuition for illegals would be "an amnesty disguised as an
educational initiative". The Report goes on to endorse a national ID card
(and the consequent turning of the US into a Gestapo state) when it says
"the American Legion has long held the position that all legal aliens should
be required to carry US government issued identification documents ..."
(Report at p.14). That this would inevitably involve requiring all US
citizens, including the native-born, to carry such ID escapes the Report's
authors. Incredibly, while saying that the Legion "recognizes that mass
deportation of all illegals is not a realistic option", the Report blithely
goes on immediately to say "Deportation of select groups is an option and
one that should be used" (Report at p.16). We are not aware of a clearer
call to use Gestapo techniques in America by a major national organization
prior to this, so it is hard to believe that the Legion is serious in making
this heedless statement. Not all about this Report is bad, to be sure. We
agree with the Report's call for a "cermonially rich citizenship
naturalization process" and its suggestion that this ceremony should be
mandatory and conducted in a US District Court (Report at p.21). Taken as a
whole, however, it is hard to escape the conclusion that the Legion has been
dis-served by this travesty masquerading as a Report.

Many though by no means most pro-immigration advocates are of a liberal persuasion and have
historically avoided taking their arguments to conservative constituencies.
That is analogous to sticking one's head in the sand since America as a
nation possesses both liberals and conservatives in abundance. This report
has thus far gone un-answered, and we sincerely hope that the
pro-immigrationists will soon not only refute this deplorable Report, but
will seek to engage the Legion's 2.7 million members in direct conversation
to point out the bountiful benefits that immigrants have showered, and
continue to shower, on their adopted homeland. America's veterans should not
be ignored by pro-immigration advocates.

In the final analysis, the Legion has insulted America's uniformed personnel
- past, present, and future - by this one-sided piece of propaganda. Our
country's highest military honor is the Medal of Honor. From the founding of
our country to this day this highest honor has disproportionately been
awarded to Americans by choice. No finer tribute to immigrants by their
adopted country could be imagined. And those immigrants who gave their all
in earning this honor intended their action to be a tribute to their chosen
home. We hope that reason will dawn among the mis-guided in the Legion, and
that saner heads will prevail in times to come when the Legion will join
other American institutions in welcoming large numbers of immigrants to
civil participation in our democracy. Americans in uniform have done their
country proud more times than anyone can count, and immigrants have been
with their fellow Americans in uniform in every major military endeavor.
Immigration Daily honors America's immigrant veterans.

We welcome readers to share their opinion and ideas with us by writing to editor@ilw.com.

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Readers can share their professional announcements (100-words or fewer at no charge), email: editor@ilw.com. Readers interested in learning about featuring your event or conference in Immigration Daily, see here. To feature your newsletter in Immigration Daily, see here.

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Readers are welcome to share their comments, email: editor@ilw.com (300-words or fewer preferred). Many letters to the Editor refer to past correspondence, available in our archives.

Dear Editor:
Responding to ID's 03/12/08 comment, a lot of the zealousness against Mexican Immigrants/Hispanics being displayed is not because they are trying to enforce the law. It's a vehicle to justify their bigotry. The catastrophic 9/11 event justified revealing their racial hatred and have skillfully evolved their hate to include the Mexican Immigrant (Hispanic/brown skin) people which have been an entrenched part of our society, and economy, since we acquired their land. Historically, racial groups use times of crisis to stir up racial hate. Hate groups are entrenched in all parts of our society (politics, business, education, government, law enforcement, religion, etc.) and wait for times such as 9/11, unrest, economic crisis, discontent, or events leading to racial distrust to justify their actions. Some are just a bunch of bigots who happen to think alike. Others are organized. Hitlerís party started a branch in the US that has remained active in spite of the Fuhrerís demise many years ago. Their ultimate goal is Aryan control of the country. The news constantly reveals how these groups have used the immigration fiasco to fuel public hate. It also increases their ranks. I wouldn't be surprised if most of these 'vigilantes' are members of these pathetic groups.

Ben

Dear Editor:
The Reuben Navarette editorial and ID comment of 3/12/08 is replete with self serving hypebole and/or error beginning with ID's label "Local Vigilantes". A local law enforcement effort to identify illegals is the exact opposite of vigilantism and does not arise to, "...local police officers playing Border Patrol agents" any more than responding to bank robberies makes them Treasury or FBI agents. And, the recent Phoenix police policy change only adds credence to the reality, not "... the myth that there are all these sanctuary cities". The police union wanted the discretion to inquire about status in any encounter, not just serious, criminal arrests. To this extent, the former sanctuary policy is preserved and the conclusion that, "The city is right and the critics are wrong" should be reversed. Police don't need, "... 20 weeks of specialized training that Border Patrol agents receive" to call in ICE upon reasonable suspicion. While the "smell" comment was wrong, so is, "California is going to become a
Hispanic state, and if anyone doesn't like it they should leave" by Latino activist, Mario Obledo - co-founder of MALDEF. The Navarette letter should be Exhibit A in the conclusion of "Multiculturalism, Immigration and Aztlan - Diversity Alliance for a Sustainable America" at diversityalliance.org by Maria Hsia Chang, Professor of Political Science, University of Nevada Reno, that: "Multiculturalism and US government's immigration policy have contributed towards the rise of Chicano ethnic separatism within the American Southwest that has all the makings of an incipient Nation of Aztlan". Clearly, illegal presence should be made a felony for national security and preservation.

Jim Roberts

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